In the past five years, Nigeria has witnessed 13 jailbreaks resulting in the escape of 6,675 inmates, including high-profile Boko Haram terrorists and convicted murderers. Out of this number, 2,032 (30.4%) have been recaptured, while 4,643 (69.5%) remain at large.
One of the most significant jailbreaks occurred on April 5, 2021, when gunmen attacked the Owerri correctional facility in Imo State, leading to the escape of 1,844 inmates. Although 980 were recaptured, 864 are still unaccounted for. A few months later, on July 8, 2021, four suspects awaiting trial for kidnapping and armed robbery escaped from the Jos Correctional Centre in Plateau State.
Another attack took place on September 13, 2021, at the Kabba Correctional Centre in Kogi State, where 240 inmates escaped. Security operatives managed to rearrest 114, leaving 126 at large. On October 22, 2021, the Abolongo Medium Security Custodial Centre in Oyo State was attacked, resulting in the escape of 837 inmates. While 262 were recaptured, 575 remain on the run.
The Jos Correctional Centre faced another breach on November 28, 2021, when gunmen freed 262 inmates. Only 10 were captured, leaving 252 still at large. In an earlier incident on October 19, 2020, 1,993 inmates escaped from Benin and Oko jails in Edo State, but only 207 were recaptured, with 1,786 still missing.
During the #EndSARS protests on October 22, 2020, 58 inmates escaped from the Okitipupa prison facility in Ondo State following an attack by hoodlums. On October 28, 2020, 122 inmates fled from Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State due to severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall. Twenty-five were recaptured, while 97 remain at large.
In May, Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed concern over the frequency of jailbreaks since the Federal Government renamed the Nigeria Prisons Service as the Nigeria Correctional Service. When contacted for comment on the growing number of escapees, the spokesman for the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) was unavailable.
Security experts have raised alarms about the implications of these jailbreaks on national security. Adebayo Akinade, Deputy President of the Institute of Security Nigeria, highlighted the potential increase in criminal activities, stating that escaped inmates might rejoin their criminal groups. Kabir Adamu, Director of Beacon Security Consulting, urged the correctional service to use records to track and recapture the escapees. Tony Ofoyetan, Director General of the International Institute of Professional Security, emphasized that the inmate escapes are contributing to the rise in terror attacks, kidnappings, and killings across the country. He called on the government to target terrorism sponsors, cut off their logistics channels, and address loopholes in immigration laws.
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